Chapter 6: Fame Spreads Far and Wide

“Zhao Kai? Beloved flower already claimed? Bah! What sort of husband is Zhao Kai, anyway? That useless fool—are you even afraid of him? Are you a man or not?”

The little thug mocked his companion, then swaggered lewdly toward Lin Fei’er.

“Miss Lin, I heard your husband doesn’t care for you. Why don’t you come with me, Hu San?”

Zhao Kai’s face darkened. To dare flirt with his woman right in front of him—did they take him for a corpse?

“So your name is Hu San, isn’t it?”

Hu San glanced at him with disdain. “Get lost. This has nothing to do with you.”

But it did, indeed.

Zhao Kai wasted no words, grabbed the hand reaching for Lin Fei’er, and with a sharp crack, broke the bone.

Hu San had never expected that the cowardly, woman-chasing Zhao Kai would lay a hand on him, let alone snap his wrist.

“Zhao Kai, you dare touch me? Are you tired of living?!”

“Grandpa? My grandfather’s long dead. If you want, go down and pay him your respects.”

Zhao Kai gave him no chance to retort. Clutching Hu San’s broken arm, he twisted it behind his back, forcing him to kneel before Lin Fei’er and Zhao Yan’er.

The crowd in the restaurant surged forward for a better look, witnessing the once spineless Zhao Kai beat Hu San to the point of begging for mercy, his face twisted in humiliation.

“Has Zhao Kai been possessed today? He actually dared to strike Hu San—did he eat lion’s heart and leopard’s gall?”

“And he did it all for Lin Fei’er! Wasn’t Zhao Kai the one who disliked his wife most?”

The murmurs reached Zhao Kai’s ears loud and clear.

The reputation of the original host was truly rotten. Lin Fei’er’s tear-filled eyes, full of grievance and fear, made his heart ache for her.

If he didn’t put Hu San in his place today and establish some authority, there would surely be more trouble for Fei’er in the future.

“Apologize to my wife!” Zhao Kai’s voice was deep, echoing through the crowd.

Hu San, though wounded, refused to bow to Zhao Kai, and shouted to his cronies, “What are you waiting for? Get him!”

At his command, a group rushed Zhao Kai.

Lin Fei’er was pale with fright, and Zhao Yan’er was at a loss. Zhao Kai smiled coldly—did these small-time thugs really believe they had any skill?

Back when he fought gangsters overseas while building his business, these fools didn’t even exist. Their pitiful skills were nothing compared to the years he’d spent training in combat.

In no time, Zhao Kai had the thugs stacked atop each other like a pile of logs, with Hu San serving as the footrest beneath him.

“I’ll give you one more chance. Apologize.”

Now everyone saw clearly that Zhao Kai was no longer the useless coward they once knew. His strange skills and swift moves had left them stunned.

Others were equally astonished by the Zhao Kai of today.

“This Zhao Kai seems like a different man. Those moves just now—I thought some hero was stepping in to defend the weak. Maybe he was pretending all along?”

The words reached Zhao Kai. With a courteous gesture, he drew Lin Fei’er to his side and spoke, “Ladies and gentlemen, I, Zhao, have done many foolish things and been misunderstood by you all. Today I clarify: if anyone shows disrespect to my wife again, they will be dealt with as this man was.”

With that, he stomped hard on Hu San, who cried out in agony and passed out.

The hall fell silent, then erupted in cheers. Zhao Kai’s skill and heroic bearing won everyone’s admiration.

Lin Fei’er, eyes shining with love, threw herself into his arms, her heart full of excitement.

Zhao Yan’er, standing off to the side, looked at him with adoration. The hall was abuzz, all for this man—who could help but admire him?

With his woman in his embrace, Zhao Kai felt happiness well within him. He had replaced the original host; how could he bear the burden of that old reputation?

Now, after declaring his intentions, anyone who bullied Fei’er again would find no mercy from him.

Zhao Kai had stolen the spotlight, and word of his actions quickly reached Lin Zhengting’s ears.

Lin Zhengting, already schemed against by Zhao Kai, was even more displeased to see him reform and start anew.

A greedy, lecherous coward—how much progress could he really make, now that he’d taken charge of Zhao family’s casino? Wasn’t he just there to steal money?

He resolved to keep a close eye on Zhao Kai.

After his transformation, Zhao Kai’s reputation soared, and he began to tackle the casino business.

He started by introducing poker games in a small section of the casino, arranging for several insiders to deliberately draw the attention of the casino’s prominent figures. He abandoned other gambling methods, and the novelty of the new games had everyone eager to try.

In no time, aside from Zhao Kai and the Zhao family’s casino—the only manufacturers—the other casinos in Jinghong County were deserted.

Zhao Kai was shrewd; he knew that only by offering a variety of games and forming a circle of regular players could he keep customers from leaving.

He trained several poker experts, introduced countless new games—Bullfighting, Golden Flower, Speed—and so many variations that guests couldn’t get enough.

Soon, Zhao Kai became the star of the casino—no, of all Jinghong County.

Once, people shook their heads at the mention of Zhao Kai; now, everyone wanted to get close, listen in, and forge connections.

In the casino, whether masters or young gentlemen, all regarded Zhao Kai as the god of wealth. Anyone close to him became the center of the casino.

Zhao Kai enjoyed the adulation fame and fortune brought, but never forgot their potential for harm.

After a period of prosperity, he set rules: anyone who gambled a certain amount must stop for three days.

This was Zhao Kai’s business philosophy, and the rule he established for the casino.

When word reached Old Master Zhao, he saw the family casino—managed for decades—less successful than Zhao Kai’s few days, and sighed.

“Father, why are you sighing?”

Of course, Zhao Yan’er didn’t understand her father's sigh; he lamented that Zhao Kai was not truly of the Zhao family.

“Father, did you know? Zhao Kai is now the most sought-after man in Jinghong County. Fei’er is so lucky to have found such a good husband.”

She spoke without realizing the envy in her own voice.

“And he’s thought of the trouble caused by sudden influxes of gambling addicts, limiting the amount people can bet. Such thoughtful businessmen are rare these days.”

“Yes, balanced and measured, neither greedy nor indulgent—a genius in business.”

He hadn’t misjudged him.

“Brother Zhao even records every detail after taking over the casino, every transaction accounted for. When I check the books, not a single cent is missing. People say he’s greedy, but faced with so much money, he hasn’t wavered. Father, Brother Zhao is the best man I’ve ever met.”

Old Master Zhao noticed his daughter’s admiration for Zhao Kai and shook his head. “Don’t be too happy yet. Fortune and misfortune are intertwined. When someone rises too high, envy inevitably follows. I do believe in him, but at times like these, one must be vigilant. Danger may already be approaching…”